GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM: Basic Visual Form To be used with: Photo Points, Wentworth Pebble Count, Cross Section, Bio Survey, Stream Habitat Survey,

Stream Flow and Site Sketch

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Group Name: Event Date: (MMDDYYYY)

Group ID: G- Site ID: S- Time Sample Collected: (HHMM am/pm)

Stream Name: Time Spent Sampling: (Min)

Monitor(s): Total Time Spent Traveling (optional) : (Min)

Number of Participants: Furthest Distance Traveled (optional) : (Miles)

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Present conditions (check all that apply) Amount of rain, if known?

Heavy Rain Steady Rain Intermittent Rain Amount in Inches:

Overcast Partly Cloudy Clear/Sunny In Last Hours/Days:

*Refer to wunderground.com for rainfall data

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Flow/Water Level: (check all that apply)

Dry Stagnant/Still Low Normal High Flood (over banks)

Water Clarity: Clear/Transparent Cloudy/Somewhat Turbid Opaque/Turbid Other:

Water Color: No Color Brown/Muddy Green Milky/White Tannic Other:

Water Surface: Clear Oily sheen: Does it break when disturbed? Yes/No (circle one) Algae

Foam Greater than 3'' high It is pure white Other:

Water Odor: Natural/None Gasoline

Sewage Rotten Egg

Fishy

Chlorine

Other:

Trash: None Yes, I did a cleanup This site needs an organized cleanup

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Photos: Please take images to document your observations and changes in water quality conditions.

Photo point directions can be found in the manuals. Send photos to AAS@gaepd.org.

Reference Location (RL): Latitude (+) (DD.DDDD°) Longitude (-) (DD.DDDD°)

Compass bearing to permanent Photo Point Location (PPL): Degrees (°)

Distance to permanent Photo Point Location (PPL) from Reference Location (RL): Distance (ft/in)

Camera height at permanent Photo Point location (PPL): Height (ft/in)

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Any changes since you last sampled at this site? If yes, please describe.

Please submit data to our online database at AdoptAStream.Georgia.gov

Type of Stream: Rocky bottom

Muddy bottom

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM: Stream Habitat Survey (Also fill out the Basic Visual Form when completing this survey)

Stream habitat will be evaluated looking both upstream and downstream, and includes: channel bottom materials, streamside vegetation, slope, and other channel characteristics. You may choose a value between 0-10 for each parameter. Note #s 8-10 ask you to evaluate each bank separately.

All measurements should be taken during baseflow conditions. Stream reach is defined as 12 times stream width, bankfull to bankfull.

Habitat Parameter

Excellent - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Poor

1. Epifaunal Substrate Abundant stable habitat cover for colonization by macroinvertebrates and fish: submerged roots, woody and vegetative debris, cobbles, leaf packs and undercut banks.

Adequate stable habitat cover for colonization by macroinvertebrates and fish: submerged roots, woody and vegetative debris, cobbles, leaf packs and undercut banks.

Little or no stable habitat cover available for colonization by macroinvertebrates and fish: submerged roots, woody and vegetative debris, cobbles, leaf packs and undercut banks; habitat may move during high flows.

What did you see?

What types of submerged

materials are on the channel

bottom?

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Score

2. Embeddedness Gravel and cobble are slightly embedded in riffle area.

Gravel and cobble are partially embedded in riffle area.

Gravel and cobble are completely embedded in riffle area.

What did you see?

* For ROCKY BOTTOM streams only

Are fine sediments being

deposited in riffle/run area?

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Score

3. Riffle/Run/Pool Yes, all three (3) habitat types (riffle, run, pool) are present and frequent.

Two (2) habitat types are present.

Only one (1) habitat type present and dominant.

What did you see?

Is a diversity of instream habitats

available: riffle, runs and pools?

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Score

4. Sediment Deposition

Point bars and islands stable and of small size and frequency with some vegetation. Composed mostly of gravel and cobble.

Point bars and islands less stable and of moderate size and frequency with some sparse vegetation. Composed mostly of some gravel and finer sediment.

Point bars and islands unstable and of a large size with little or no vegetation. Composed almost entirely of fine sediment.

What did you see?

Are point bars and islands

present?

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Score

5. Channel Flow Status Water reaches base of both lower banks; little substrate exposed.

Some substrate is exposed and water partially fills channel.

Most substrate is exposed and very little water in channel.

What did you see?

How much water is in the stream channel?

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Score

Total first side

Habitat Parameter

Excellent - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Poor

6. Channel Alteration No evidence of channelization (straightening) or alterations such as dredging, agriculture, concrete banks or construction activities.

Some evidence of channelization (straightening) and/or alterations such as dredging, agriculture, concrete banks or construction activities.

Most of stream reach channelized and/or many alterations present such as dredging, agriculture, concrete banks or construction activities.

What did you see?

Is the stream channel altered

by humans?

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Score

7. Channel Sinuosity Yes, bends in the channel are frequent.

There are more bends than straight sections.

There are more straight sections than sections with bends or channel is entirely straight.

What did you see?

* For MUDDY BOTTOM streams only

Does the channel have lots of curves and bends?

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Score

8. Bank Stability Bank stable; erosion, scouring, undercutting or bank failure absent or minimal. Vegetation overhanging the stream is abundant.

Bank moderately stable; evidence of small areas of erosion, undercutting and scouring, or bank failure present. Moderate amounts of overhanging vegetation present.

Bank unstable; many eroded and scoured areas with undercutting; bank failure present; steep banks. Little over hanging vegetation present.

What did you see?

How stable are the

streambanks?

Determine right/left bank by facing downstream

Left bank 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 .5 0 Score (Add both banks)

Right bank 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 .5 0

9. Vegetative Protection

Most streambank surfaces covered and shaded by a large variety of vegetation (trees, shrubs, flowering plants and grasses).

Some streambank surfaces covered and shaded by some variety of vegetation (trees, shrubs, flowering plants and grasses).

Few streambank surfaces covered and shaded by vegetation. Little variety of vegetation. Streambank dominated by one type of vegetation (trees, shrubs, flowering plants and grasses).

What did you see?

Did you see any nonnative vegetation? Check here if YES

Are streambanks

covered & shaded by a

variety of vegetation?

Determine right/left bank by facing downstream

Left bank 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 .5 0 Score (Add both banks)

Right bank 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 .5 0

10. Riparian Vegetative Zone Width

Buffer present; a large variety of vegetation extends at least three channel widths on each side.

Some buffer present; some variety of vegetation extends two to one channel width on each side. Human activities have impacted buffer zone.

Little or no buffer present; vegetation extends less than one channel width on each side. Human activities substantially impact buffer zone.

What did you see?

Did you see any nonnative vegetation? Check here if YES

What is the amount of buffer

available?

Determine right/left bank by facing downstream

Left bank 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 .5 0 Score (Add both banks)

Right bank 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 .5 0

Stream Habitat Score: Excellent (69-90) Good (46-68) Fair (23-45) Poor (0-22)

Total second side

Total first side

Total Please submit data at: AdoptAStream.Georgia.gov Or send to: 2 MLK Jr. Dr. SE, Suite 1462 East, Atlanta, GA 30334

Email: AAS@gaepd.org

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GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM: Stream Flow (Also fill out the Basic Visual Form when completing this survey)

CALCULATE AREA Area = depth x width It is advisable to take multiple depth and width measurements Always start at the water’s edge with a first measurement of zero All data should be recorded in feet, with inches replaced by decimals

Depth Measurements

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. sum

Average

Depth =

Width Measurements

1. 2. sum

Average Width

Area

=

= width

X depth

CALCULATE SPEED- Measure the time it takes a float to travel a desired distance

It is advisable to take at least 2 measurements of current speed Take measurements from the stream run

length = feet (20 feet is recommended)

time in seconds

1. 2. 3. 4. sum

average = time

Speed =

length in feet average time in seconds

CALCULATE STREAM FLOW

Area Speed Coefficient

Flow = X X

Flow in cubic feet per second 0.9 coefficient for muddy bottom stream 0.8 coefficient for rocky bottom stream

sum of depth measurements

number of measurements

0 ft

ft

ft2

sum of width measurements

number of measurements ft

sum of time measurements

number of measurements

s

ft/s

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM: Channel Cross-Section: Part 1 (Also fill out the Basic Visual Form when completing this survey)

Measurements are always taken from the left stream bank, looking downstream. Depth measurements are taken every two feet and in sections where there is a notable change. Be sure to note left and right bankfull, water edge, and sand bars.

CROSS-SECTION CROSS-SECTION Distance from LEFT Pin

Measurement Depth

Comments Distance from LEFT Pin

Measurement Depth

Comments

Point Ft. Ft. Point Ft. Ft. 1 26 2 27 3 28 4 29

5 30

6 31

7 32

8 33

9 34

10 35

11 36

12 37

13 38

14 39

15 40

16 41

17 42

18 43

19 44

20 45

21 46

22 47

23 48

24 49

25 50

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM: Channel Cross-Section: Part 2 (Also fill out the Basic Visual Form when completing this survey)

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM: Wentworth Pebble Count (Also fill out the Basic Visual Form when completing this survey)

Count#/Size Class Silt/Clay Sand Gravel Cobble Boulder Bedrock

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

Count#/Size Class Silt/Clay Sand Gravel Cobble Boulder Bedrock

50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

100

Total in each column (%)

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM: Site Sketch (Also fill out the Basic Visual Form when completing this survey)

greenish: occa

occa

GEORGIA ADOPT-A-STREAM: Visual Biological Survey (Also fill out the Basic Visual Form when completing this survey)

1. Wildlife in or around the stream:

birds

2. Fish in the stream: (Check all that apply)

mussels/clams/oysters

small (1-2")

Are there barriers to fish movement? none

3. Aquatic plants in the stream: (Check all that apply)

attached plants occasional plentiful stream margin/edge pools near riffle

-floating plants occasional plentiful stream margin/edge pools near riffle

4. Extent of algae in the stream: a) Are the submerged stones, twigs, or other material in the stream coated with a

layer of algae? (Check all that apply)

plentiful

sional plentiful

sional plentiful

yes abundant medium (3-

occasional light

b) Are there any filamentous (string-like) algae? none occasional plentiful

brownish greenish other:

c) Are any detached “clumps” or “mats” of algae floating on the water’s surface? none occasional plentiful

brownish greenish other :

5. Presence of naturally occurring organic material in stream: (Good habitat for aquatic organisms)

Logs or large woody debris: occasional Leaves, twigs, root mats, etc.: occasional

6. Stream shade cover: How well is the water surface shaded by vegetation?

Looking down stream:

Total shading No shading

100% 90%

80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0